This invention relates to a system for and a method of imposing a charge for a substantial period of time of use of an apparatus and/or contents without selling the apparatus itself or the contents themselves and further to an electronic apparatus for use with the system and the method.
In the present specification, the term “contents” is used to signify contents which are stored or recorded in or on a storage medium or a recording medium and provided as such to a user or contents which are provided to a user through the Internet or a broadcast.
Meanwhile, contents data are used to include image data such as moving pictures and still pictures, sound data such as tunes, voices and environmental sound, text data of characters and symbols, graphic data, program data of games and so forth and accompanying data to the program data, and program data and incidental data of application programs.
Conventionally, a system commonly employed is that a user buys a product and pays the price as an equivalent for the product itself to acquire the proprietary right of the product.
According to the conventional system, a buyer of a product pays the price for the product irrespective of whether the product is used or not used. In other words, according to the conventional system, the buyer pays the price also for a period of time within which the product is not used merely because the product is owned by the buyer. Since the value of a product can be enjoyed originally when it is used, it is regarded that, for the product which has not been used after it was purchased, the unnecessary money was paid.
Further, the product cycle of high-technology products such as a computer in recent years is so short that, after a product is purchased, a new product is placed on the market before the product is used sufficiently. Therefore, a user who has bought an old product before a new product is on the market may feel unprofitable in that, when such a new product is on the market, the user has purchased the product too early.
Furthermore, a user who wants to have a product which has advanced functions will have to pay, every time a new product is on the market, the total amount of the price as an equivalent to the product, and this imposes a significant economical burden on the user.
Taking the foregoing into consideration, another system wherein an equivalent is paid for a substantial period of time of use of a product to eliminate the problems described above has been proposed by the applicant of the present patent application (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-354953).
FIG. 58 shows a general configuration of an example of the charging system proposed priorly which is based on a substantial time period of use of a product. In the charging system shown, the charging object product is an electronic apparatus, and an equivalent for a use time period of the charging object product is paid later.
In the example, the amount of money to be paid by the user is set as of the depreciation type wherein, while the product is new, the time period unit price is high, and as the cumulative use time period increases, the time period unit price is set lower such that, after the cumulative use time period comes up to a predetermined time period, that is, after the cumulative paid amount of money comes to a predetermined level, the time period unit time is set to zero.
Meanwhile, the electronic apparatus of the charging object product, such as an Internet television receiver, incorporates a microcomputer system and can be connected to a digital communication network such as the Internet.
In the charging system of FIG. 58, a user 1 concludes a contract of use of an electronic apparatus 3 of a charging object product with an apparatus providing source 2. When the electronic apparatus 3 is used, it is connected to a digital communication network 4 such as the Internet. Also a charging management system 5 of the apparatus providing source 2 is connected to the digital communication network 4.
Since the contract in this instance is not a sales contract, the user 1 does not pay a price at a point of time when it receives the product, but pays a price based on a use time period of the electronic apparatus 3. Besides, in the charging system of FIG. 58, the user 1 pays the price for its use time period in the depreciation type.
When the contract is concluded, the user 1 makes an agreement with the apparatus providing source 2 on a method of settlement of the price for a period of time of use. While various settlement methods are applicable, description is given of a case wherein a bank or a credit company is utilized to make the settlement of the price.
The electronic apparatus 3 of the charging object product has a function of measuring a substantial operation time period as a time period of use and storing a cumulative time period of use into a built-in memory or an external memory as hereinafter described. In the charging system of FIG. 58, the time period within which the electronic apparatus 3 is energized after the power supply to it is made available is used as the substantial operation time period. In this instance, the time period is counted by incrementing a count value for each unit time period such as, for example, 1 minute.
The user 1 to whom the electronic apparatus 3 which is a charging object product from the apparatus providing source 2 is provided reports the cumulative time period of use stored in the memory of the electronic apparatus 3 to the apparatus providing source 2 over the digital communication network 4 for every settlement time determined in advance, for example, for each one month or in response to a settlement time coming notification from the apparatus providing source 2.
The charging management system 5 of the apparatus providing source 2 measures, based on the cumulative use time period reported thereto, the use time period from the last settlement time to the current settlement time as a time period of the charging object (in the following description, the time period of a charging object is referred to as chargeable time period). Then, the charging management system 5 determines a time period unit price for the current charging calculation based on the cumulative use time period reported thereto. Here, the time period unit price is a use price per the unit time period.
FIG. 59 illustrates a relationship between the cumulative use time period and the unit time price. In particular, as the cumulative use time period increases, the unit time price gradually decreases, and after the cumulative use time period reaches a predetermined time period, that is, after the amount of money paid comes to a certain amount, the unit time price becomes zero.
The charging management system 5 of the apparatus providing source 2 stores a unit time price table of the relationship illustrated in FIG. 59 and refers to the cumulative use time period reported thereto and the time period unit table to determine a time period unit price to be used for charging then. Then, the time period unit price is multiplied by the chargeable time period at the current settlement time to calculate a current use price and bills the user 1 to pay the calculated use price.
The user 1 pays the use price in response to the bill in accordance with the settlement method set in advance. Thus, the charging management system 5 of the apparatus providing source 2 confirms the payment of the use price. Then, if the payment of the use price is not confirmed till the settlement date, then the charging management system 5 sends a key for switching off the functions of the electronic apparatus 3 to the electronic apparatus 3. In response to the reception of the key for switching off the functions, the functions of the electronic apparatus 3 are switched off thereby to disable the electronic apparatus 3 or restrict operation of the electronic apparatus 3.
Then, if the charging management system 5 thereafter confirms payment of the use price from the user 1, then it sends a key for switching on the functions of the electronic apparatus 3 to the electronic apparatus 3. In response to reception of the key for switching on the functions, the electronic apparatus 3 switches on the functions thereof thereby to allow the use of the electronic apparatus 3 by the user 1 to be re-started.
FIG. 60 illustrates a flow of operation of the charging system described above before use of the electronic apparatus 3 is started where a bank or a credit company is utilized. Meanwhile, FIG. 61 illustrates communication among the user 1, the apparatus providing source 2 and a bank or credit company 6 when use of the electronic apparatus 3 is started.
Referring to FIG. 60, the user 1 first acquires the electronic apparatus 3 as a charging object product from the apparatus providing source 2. Thereupon, a product identifier (hereinafter referred to as production ID) is written into the memory of the electronic apparatus 3. The production ID may be written upon production of the product in advance or may alternatively be written into the memory when the product is provided.
Then, the production ID and a user identifier (hereinafter referred to as user ID) are registered in a coordinated relationship with each other as user management information into the charging management system 5 of the apparatus providing source 2 (step A).
Then, if the user does not have a bank account or a credit card, then the user performs a procedure for opening a bank account or an account of a credit company (step B). Then, the user registers a bank account number, a credit card number or a personal identification number into the memory of the electronic apparatus as a charging object product (step C).
Thereafter, the user 1 notifies the charging management system 5 of the apparatus providing source 2 of start of use of the electronic apparatus 3 as indicated as “(1) Communication of start of use” in FIG. 61 (step D). The information included in the communication information upon such start of use includes notification information of the start of use, the product ID, the name of the user, the bank account number, the credit card number (account number of the credit company) and a password such as the personal identification number.
After the setup of the electronic apparatus 3 is completed and the communication of start of use to the charging management system 5 is performed in this manner, the charging management system 5 confirms the user and the account of the user from the bank or credit company 6 using the name of the user, the account number or the card number in the communication information.
Then, if the user and the account are confirmed, then the charging management system 5 sends the key for switching on the functions to the electronic apparatus 3 as an approval of permission of the start of use as indicated as “(3) Approval” in FIG. 61. Consequently, the functions of the electronic apparatus 3 are permitted to operate and the user 1 can start use of the electronic apparatus 3.
FIG. 62 shows an example of a configuration of the electronic apparatus 3 in the management system of FIG. 58. Referring to FIG. 62, the electronic apparatus 3 shown includes a control section 11 for controlling the entire electronic apparatus 3, a hardware section 12 for executing functioning actions of the electronic apparatus 3, a nonvolatile memory 13, and a network section 14 for establishing a connection to the digital communication network 4.
Though not shown, the control section 11 includes firmware for controlling the electronic apparatus 3, software for controlling the charging system, software for controlling on/off of functions and so forth. Further, the control section 11 includes a counter section 15 for measuring a unit time to be used as a unit for charging. Furthermore, the control section 11 includes a clock section 16 for managing a settlement time such as every one month.
The control section 11 uses the software for controlling on/off of functions to perform on/off control of the hardware section 12 based on the keys for switching on and off functions acquired from the charging management system 5 through the network section 14.
The nonvolatile memory 13 stores the product ID and the bank account number, credit card number or personal identification number as described hereinabove. Further, the nonvolatile memory 13 stores a cumulative value of a time period of use (cumulative time period of use) as a substantial operation time period measured by the charging system controlling software of the control section 11.
The counter section 15 of the control section 11 measures the time period within which the electronic apparatus 3 remains energized after the power supply to the electronic apparatus 3 is made available, and issues a unit time period lapse output signal such as a carry signal when the measured time reaches the unit time.
The charging system controlling software of the control section 11 reads out the cumulative use time period from the nonvolatile memory 13 when the unit time period lapse output signal is outputted from the counter section 15, and increments the cumulative use time period by “1”. Then, the charging system controlling software writes the incremented cumulative use time period back into the nonvolatile memory 13. Consequently, the cumulative use time period is always stored in the nonvolatile memory 13.
Further, if the charging system controlling software of the control section 11 discriminates based on the clock information from the clock section 16 that a settlement time comes, then it reads out data including information of the cumulative use time period and information of the product ID and the user ID from the nonvolatile memory 13 and signals the data into the digital communication network 4 through the network section 14 designating the charging management system 5 of the apparatus providing source 2 as a destination.
In response to transmission of the cumulative time period of use and so forth at the settlement time, a bill for the price for the present time period of use is transmitted from the charging management system 5 to the electronic apparatus 3. Consequently, the control section 11 of the electronic apparatus 3 displays the price on a screen of a display unit 17 which may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit. Thereupon, since also a due date is transmitted from the charging management system 5, the control section 11 displays it on the screen of the display unit 17.
If the user 1 does not pay the price even after the due date elapses, then the key for switching off the functions of the electronic apparatus 3 is sent from the charging management system 5 to the electronic apparatus 3. The control section 11 of the electronic apparatus 3 receives the key and thus switches off the hardware section 12 to disable the electronic apparatus 3. Thereafter, if the user 1 completes its payment of the price for the current use time period, then the key for switching the functions of the electronic apparatus 3 is sent from the charging management system 5 to the electronic apparatus 3. The control section 11 switches on the hardware section 12 to return the electronic apparatus 3 into a state wherein the electronic apparatus 3 can be used.
FIG. 63 illustrates a flow of charging in the charging system, and FIG. 64 illustrates a flow of payment of a price where a bank or a credit company is utilized.
Referring to FIG. 63, in the electronic apparatus 3 of the charging object product, the control section 11 consistently performs measurement of a cumulative use time period as described hereinabove (step S1). Then, the control section 11 of the electronic apparatus 3 uses the clock section 16 to supervise whether or not the electronic apparatus 3 is used for a fixed time period after the last payment, that is, whether or not a current settlement date comes (step S2). Then, if it is discriminated that the settlement date comes, then the control section 11 of the electronic apparatus 3 transmits information at least of the product ID and the cumulative use time period to the charging management system 5 of the apparatus providing source 2 over the digital communication network 4 (step S3 and “(1) Use time period” of FIG. 64).
The charging management system 5 specifies the user 1 using the product ID and the user management information (user ID) received from the electronic apparatus 3. Then, the charging management system 5 calculates the current use time period of the charging object from the difference between the cumulative use time period upon the last settlement and the currently received cumulative use time period. Further, the charging management system 5 determines the time period unit price to be used for the current charging calculation from the currently received cumulative use time period using such a table for the time period unit price of the depreciation type as shown in FIG. 59.
Then, the charging management system 5 calculates the price for the current use time period in accordance with the following expression:current price=use time period of charging object×time period unit price(step S4). Then, the charging management system 5 notifies the electronic apparatus 3 of the calculated price for the current use time period over the digital communication network 4 (step S5 and “(2) Price” of FIG. 64).
The electronic apparatus 3 receives the notification of the current price and displays the price on the display unit thereof to notify the user 1 of the current price to bill the user 1 to pay the price (step S6).
In response to the bill for the payment of the price, the user 1 performs a procedure to transfer the price from the bank account or the account of the credit company thereof to the account of the apparatus providing source 2 in order to pay the price (“(3) Transfer instruction” of FIG. 64 and “(4) Transfer” of FIG. 64). The transfer procedure may be a procedure for automatic transfer from the bank account or the like.
The charging management system 5 supervises whether or not the billed price is paid (step S7), and if the price is not paid, then the charging management system 5 sends the key for switching off the functions of the electronic apparatus 3 to the electronic apparatus 3 over the digital communication network 4 (step S8).
Thereafter, if the charging management system 5 detects that the billed price is paid (step S7), then it sends the key for switching on the functions of the electronic apparatus 3 to the electronic apparatus 3 over the digital communication network 4 (step S9).
Then, the charging management system 5 discriminates whether or not the cumulative use time period of the electronic apparatus 3 reaches the prescribed time period with which the time period unit price is reduced to zero. If the charging management system 5 discriminates that the prescribed time period is not reached, then it performs a settlement process on the next settlement date. On the other hand, if the charging management system 5 discriminates that the prescribed time period with which the time period unit price is reduced to zero is reached, then though not illustrated in FIG. 64, the charging management system 5 notifies the electronic apparatus 3 that any succeeding settlement is unnecessary and then ends the charging. Upon reception of the notification, the electronic apparatus 3 displays the notification on the display unit 17 to notify the user and stops any later charging process described above. Accordingly, the user 1 can use the electronic apparatus 3 without a charge.
The proposal described above is directed to use of a product such as an electronic apparatus. However, this may be applied similarly to use of contents.
In particular, contents are conventionally stored on an optical disk or a magnetic tape or in a card type memory or the like and sold as a package medium, and a user pays an equivalent to the proprietary right of the contents by buying the package medium. Further, although contents are sometimes downloaded over the Internet or the like with a price imposed on a user, the user in this instance pays an equivalent to the proprietary right of the downloaded contents.
Then, the user utilizes the contents (including not only use of a game program or an application program but also reproduction of image data or sound data) using such an electronic apparatus as an image reproduction apparatus, an audio reproduction apparatus, a game machine or a personal computer.
However, once the user loses the interest in the contents after ending the utilization of the contents through use of the contents data, the user is placed into a state wherein merely owning the contents. Therefore, the user is likely to perform such an action as to sell the contents without permission of the copyright holder or the like or sell the contents to another user.
Such an action as described above possibly gives rise to a situation that the user infringes upon the right of the copyright holder of the contents or deteriorates the will of the copyright holder to produce a new work. As a result, there is the possibility that the environment wherein interesting contents are not created may increase, and to users, such interesting contents may not be acquired readily.